British Lion (band)

Steve Harris formed the band to play in small venues, as opposed to the large arenas typically played by Iron Maiden,{{Cite web|last=December 2016|first=Martin Kielty05|title=Steve Harris: The only thing I hate about British Lion tour|url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/iron-maiden-steve-harris-only-thing-i-hate-about-british-lion-tour|access-date=2020-08-13|website=Classic Rock Magazine|date=5 December 2016|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Blabbermouth|date=2020-01-23|title=Steve Harris's British Lion: Behind-The-Scenes Video From First U.S. Tour|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/steve-harriss-british-lion-behind-the-scenes-video-from-first-u-s-tour/|access-date=2020-08-13|website=blabbermouth.net}} and as an outlet for shorter hard rock-oriented songs{{Cite web|date=January 15, 2020|first=Joe|last=DiVita|title=Steve Harris: British Lion Band Keeps Me From Writing Long Songs|url=https://loudwire.com/steve-harris-british-lion-interview/|access-date=2020-08-13|website=Loudwire|language=en}} in which he can experiment with different bass guitar styles.{{Cite web|last=March 2020|first=Joel McIver11|title=Iron Maiden's Steve Harris talks British Lion, songwriting, and why his SansAmp is a carry-on essential when touring|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/iron-maidens-steve-harris-talks-british-lion-songwriting-and-why-his-sansamp-is-a-carry-on-essential-when-touring|access-date=2020-08-13|website=Bass Player|date=11 March 2020|language=en}} The band also includes singer Richard Taylor, guitarists David Hawkins and Grahame Leslie, and drummer Simon Dawson.{{Cite web|last=Magazine|first=Bass|title=Steve Harris and British Lion Share Title Track From The Upcoming Album|url=https://bassmagazine.com/artists/steve-harris-and-british-lion-share-title-track-from-the-upcoming-album|access-date=2020-08-13|website=Bass Magazine - The Future of Bass|language=en-us}}

Harris had first met Leslie in the early 1990s after Leslie sent him a demo tape, and Harris mentored the careers of Leslie and Taylor for several years until deciding to include them in the British Lion project.{{Cite web|date=2020-01-23|title=Iron Maiden's Steve Harris on British Lion, Songwriting, Playing Smaller Venues Than His Son|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/iron-maidens-steve-harris-british-lion-songwriting-playing-smaller-venues-his-son|access-date=2020-08-13|website=Revolver|language=en}} The band's tours are typically scheduled after the conclusion of Iron Maiden tours, when Harris becomes interested in playing in clubs and theaters as he did in Iron Maiden's early years.{{Cite web|title=British Lion's Steve Harris: "It Reminds Me Of The Old Days With Maiden, Of Fighting For Everything"|url=https://www.kerrang.com/features/british-lion-the-inside-story-of-the-burning/|access-date=2020-08-13|website=Kerrang!}}{{Cite web|last=Ruggiero|first=Bob|date=2020-01-20|title=Steve Harris' British Lion Loudly Roars its Own Identity|url=https://www.houstonpress.com/music/things-to-do-hear-british-lion-at-the-scout-bar-11422586|access-date=2020-08-13|website=Houston Press}}

The album British Lion, released in 2012, was marketed as a solo album by Harris with the other musicians described as his backing band. The project was then re-positioned as a self-contained band with most songs written by Harris, Taylor, and Hawkins.{{Cite web|date=2019-10-31|title=Iron Maiden's Steve Harris announces new album and US tour as British Lion|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2019/10/iron-maiden-steve-harris-british-lion-the-burning-us-tour/|access-date=2020-08-13|website=Consequence of Sound|language=en-US}} Their second album The Burning was released in January 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/steve-harriss-british-lion-announce-second-album-the-burning|title=Steve Harris's British Lion announce second album The Burning|last=October 2019|first=Fraser Lewry31|website=Classic Rock Magazine|date=31 October 2019|language=en|access-date=2020-04-15}}

The album was voted Album of the Year by Paul Stenning for BraveWords.{{Cite web|url=https://bravewords.com/news/bravepicks-2020-the-scribes-speak-paul-stenning|title=BravePicks 2020 - the Scribes Speak! Paul Stenning}}

In 2024, Dawson became the touring drummer for Iron Maiden, following the touring retirement of Nicko McBrain.{{Cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Spencer |date=2024-12-08 |title=Iron Maiden announce Simon Dawson as their new touring drummer |url=https://consequence.net/2024/12/iron-maiden-simon-dawson-new-touring-drummer/ |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=Consequence |language=en}}

• Steve Harris – bass, keyboards
• Richard Taylor – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
• David Hawkins – guitar, keyboards
• Grahame Leslie – guitar
• Simon Dawson – drums

• British Lion (2012)
• The Burning (2020)

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Category:English hard rock musical groups

Category:2012 establishments in England

Category:Musical groups established in 2012